Characteristics

This part of the study guide addresses how Jean Hannah Edelstein presents her arguments in “I Killed Britney Spears”, including the analytical elements such as rhetorical devices, forms of appeal, and language.

Argumentation

In her essay, Jean Hannah Edelstein uses hidden argumentation to present her views. Unlike open argumentation, in which the sender presents arguments in an explicit manner, hidden argumentation means that the sender lets the receivers identify the arguments based on examples or case studies.

Jean Hannah Edelstein does not state directly that her main argument is that the public of tabloid media is responsible for the downfall of celebrities, or that fame can have negative consequences. Instead, she uses a personal story and the example of Britney Spears to convey her views indirectly.

By showing how she followed tabloid media targeting Spears and destroying her reputation, the writer suggests that she is critical of her own attitude and that of others like her, who contributed to the downfall of the star:

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Rhetorical devices

Rhetorical devices refer to those language techniques designed to maintain the receivers’ attention and make them more likely to accept looking at an issue from another perspective (the one proposed by the sender). In the essay, the most notable rhetorical devices are allusion and irony.

The allusion to President Bill Clinton’s affair emphasises the sad irony of Britney’s situation—a pop singer confined to the image of the virgin in a time when even the country’s president was promiscuous: “… and was probably struggling to understand the meaning of sexual relations thanks to the exploits of her very own President.” (p. 159, ll. 5-7)

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Forms of appeal

There are three forms of appeal that senders can use to convey their views and connect with the receivers: ethos (appeal to authority and shared values), logos (appeal to reason), and pathos (appeal to emotions).

In “I Killed Britney Spears”, the sender uses ethos and pathos to convey most of her arguments.

Ethos is used when the writer appeals to her own authority as an experienced writer with a “tertiary education” (p. 160, l. 7), but also when she appeals to the shared values of her generation that viewed Britney Spears as an idol and role model:

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Language

The language of the short story is simple and easy to follow because of the personal tone of the sender. The choice of words reflects the topics of the text as it is related to fame, growing up, education, and tabloid media.

Figurative language is present in the text when the writer talks about “the spectre of her decline” (p. 157, l. 8) to refer to Britney’s foreseeable decline, or to talk about metaphorical deaths and murders: “something died inside me” (p. 157, l. 14), “the dead look” (p. 160, l. 38), or “I killed her” (p. 160, l. 39).

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